Your Trip to Seattle: The Complete Guide SEE FULL GUIDE prev next Theater in Seattle Live Music in Seattle 48 Hours in Seattle Day Trips From Seattle Tours to Take in Seattle Local Food to Try in Seattle Nightlife in Seattle Breweries in Seattle The Best Time to Visit Seattle Seattle Weather & Climate Seattle-Tacoma International Airport Budget Seattle Hotels Driving in Seattle How to Get Around Seattle The Top Things to Do Free Things to Do Things to Do With Kids Skiing Near Seattle Swimming in Seattle National Parks Near Seattle The Best Parks in Seattle Museums in Seattle Your Trip to Seattle: The Complete Guide close Overview United States Washington 8 Best Museums in Seattle By Nathan Williams Nathan Williams Nathan Williams is a writer and filmmaker living in the Seattle, Washington area. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Updated on 06/01/19 Fact checked by Michelai Graham Fact checked by Michelai Graham Michigan State University American University Michelai Graham is a technology and business reporter who has written for The Urban Institute and Scoop News. She reports for AfroTech, Lifewire, and The Plug. TripSavvy's fact-checking Ron Clausen/CC BY-SA 4.0/Creative Commons Seattle may be known for its stunning Pacific Northwest views, but the city is also home to a fantastic collection of museums. Whether you're a 75-year-old Picasso enthusiast or an eight-year-old dinosaur lover, the Seattle-area has you covered. 01 of 07 Seattle Art Museum TripSavvy / Noah Kreyenhagen View Map Address 1300 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101, USA Get directions Phone +1 206-654-3100 Web Visit website The Puget Sound’s most prestigious museum, the Seattle Art Museum (SAM) received a major overhaul in 2007, expanding its space by 70 percent and adding over $1 billion in new art to the collection. SAM has a steady stream of special exhibitions that offer repeat visitors something new with each visit, and exhibitions have included everything from African masks to Impressionism. The museum also has a number of permanent exhibitions from around the world. If the museum's cost of admission is too much, then look to one of the free days. Free days: First Thursdays free to all. First Fridays free to seniors. Second Friday 5-9 p.m. free to teens (13-17). 02 of 07 Museum of Flight Dennis K. Johnson/Getty Images View Map Address 9404 E Marginal Way S, Seattle, WA 98108-4097, USA Get directions Phone +1 206-764-5700 Web Visit website The Puget Sound is one of the nation’s aerospace capitals, and it’s only fitting that it has one of the world’s best air and space museums. The Museum of Flight boasts over 80 aircraft, including the first 747, a retired Air Force One, a Concorde supersonic airliner, and a wide array of aircraft from the First and Second World Wars. There is also a theater with short performances about aviation history. Free day: First Thursday 5-9 p.m. free to all 03 of 07 Pacific Science Center Patrick Donehue/Getty Images View Map Address 200 2nd Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, USA Get directions Phone +1 206-443-2001 Web Visit website A remnant of the 1962 World’s Fair, the Pacific Science Center is a beloved institution in this high-tech town. The museum has been constantly redesigned both to reflect new scientific knowledge and to make the exhibits as engaging as possible to visitors of all ages. Highlights include the animatronic dinosaurs, a giant insect village, and a science playground. There are also two IMAX theaters and special exhibits that come through on a regular basis that are often some of the coolest exhibits Seattle gets in general (King Tut visiting, for example). Where: Seattle CenterFree day: No free days. 04 of 07 Burke Museum Lonely Planet/Getty Images View Map Address 4303 Memorial Way Northeast, Seattle, WA 98195, USA Get directions Phone +1 206-543-7907 Web Visit website This natural history museum on the UW campus is the state’s oldest museum and the closest opportunity to take a look at real dinosaur fossils. The Burke features fascinating biological and cultural history, and rotating special exhibits. Free day: First Thursdays free to all Continue to 5 of 7 below. 05 of 07 Museum of Pop Culture (MoPop) Artie Photography (Artie Ng)/Getty Images View Map Address 325 5th Ave N, Seattle, WA 98109, USA Get directions Phone +1 206-770-2700 Web Visit website MoPop (formerly the EMP Museum) has had a tumultuous history, opening in 2000 to great fanfare, but also to a considerable backlash, both at the unorthodox architecture and the notion of a high-tech rock museum. It's been through a few name changes, too, but MoPop pushed new ground as a museum, relying heavily on interactive electronics in their exhibits, an aspect that excited some and frustrated others. In 2004, the museum expanded to include the Science Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame. Today, the museums are united, with joint admission, and has increasingly moved beyond music history to expand to pop culture overall. Where: Seattle CenterFree day: First Thursdays 5-8 p.m. free to all. 06 of 07 Henry Art Gallery Spaces Images/Getty Images View Map Address 15th Ave NE & University of Washington, NE 41st St, Seattle, WA 98195, USA Get directions Phone +1 206-543-2280 Web Visit website The Henry may not be Seattle’s biggest art museum, but it’s certainly the most adventurous. This gallery on UW’s campus has frequently changing exhibitions of contemporary art. Free day: First Thursdays free to all 07 of 07 Frye Art Museum TripSavvy / Noah Kreyenhagen View Map Address 704 Terry Ave, Seattle, WA 98104, USA Get directions Phone +1 206-622-9250 Web Visit website Frugal art lovers need to look no further than Seattle’s Frye Art Museum, which is entirely free. Not only that, it’s a great little museum, with a wonderful permanent collection of paintings and sculpture from the 19th-century to today. Where: First Hill, SeattleHow much: Free Theater in Seattle Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! 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